From somewhere within, the goblin whispers back to you. "I left the window open, so I am sure they will hear once the commotion begins. If you can get down there quickly and release the genasi girl, I know she can help you. I..." He pauses for a moment. "I have an idea. Come up onto the deck. It should only take me a moment."
The goblin from your trail boat motions for you to come up the chain. "Be careful. We can't stop to pick you out of the water."
You all slowly make your way up. Brask teeters a bit, but the chain is thick enough that he's able to keep a firm grasp and get to the top. When you reach the railing, you hop up and over onto the main deck. The goblin boss is there with two others, including the one from your trail boat. At the front of the ship, two goblins man ballistas up on the forecastle. One goblin sits on the stern castle at a ballista. The big cargo doors lay right behind the goblin trio, and there are other doors to either side leading under the stern and forecastles. One of which was the captain's quarters that Umog emerged from when you first boarded.
"Okay, hand over your weapons and we'll take them downstairs until we get to Gorta." The boss begins. He motions to the other two goblins to come get your weapons, but as they take their first step, one of the goblins on the forecastle calls out in a panic.
"F-FIRE!" He points downward, as black smoke starts to billow up and over the front of the ship.
"What the-" The boss turns quickly to you to make sure you're not moving, and then heads toward the cargo doors to head below. "Hey! Watch these three!" He calls out to the goblins manning the ballistas. "You," he points to the goblin that had been on the trail boat. "Go get Umog - NOW." He leaps down into the deck below and vanishes.
If you are going to make a move, go ahead and roll initiative. No surprise round. They're on alert. If you want to wait, that's fine too.
Brask isn't waiting. He wants to get below to free the water genasi, and see what she can do. Not taking any clearly aggressive action, but unless Effort says otherwise, he will try to follow the goblin boss down below deck to where he believes the prisoner can be found.
Effort immediately casts Misty Step to get near to a ballista goblin; figuring that she might be able to disable a ballista, and if one wants to make her a ballista target, he'll have a good chance of hitting his friend. Rather than targeting the goblin nearest to her, however, she aims an eldritch blast at his fellow ballista-manning friend across the ship.
Attack: 17 Damage: 7
Effort will position herself so that she is behind the actual ballista of the goblin closest to her, placing the weapon between herself and the other ballista on the ship.
Cadmael will try to help the next ally who makes a melee attack against a goblin, granting them advantage.
No surprise round, but I'll say Effort's misty step was the first move and got everything started.
As the tiefling vanishes in a puff of silvery mist, the goblins realize something is up. The goblin in front of Burik and Brask swings his scimitar at the minotaur. Attack: 21 Damage: 6
The second goblin continues running toward the captain's door, using his full movement (still has 10-15 feet to go) and readying an action if anyone chases after him.
Effort's blast is aimed so well it cruises between two ballistas, hitting one of the goblins square in the chest and sending him sailing over the side of the ship.
Brask, the cargo door is less than 30 feet away, so you can hop down into it right now, or attack first (with advantage thanks to Cadmael). Burik, I'll keep your attack action unless you want to change it.
Rd 1: Deck goblins > Effort > Brask > Burik > Cadmael > Ballista goblins [Spoilers below are just for me to keep track of things going on where you can't see them]
Brask is going to do everything he can to reach where he believes the water genasi is being held. That includes using his movement to run to the cargo hatch to open it, and depending on what he sees when it's open, using his action and possibly action surge to dash to her.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As Brask rushes toward the cargo door, both goblins slash at him with their scimitars:
Attack: 19 Damage: 6
Attack: 21 Damage: 7
Brask bypasses the small ladder that leads down and leaps through the opening of the deck. He lands with a thud on the cargo deck.
Brask:
To your left and the back of the ship, you hear pounding on a door. The friendly goblin stands, feet firmly planted and back up against a wooden crate that is propped up against a wooden door. He nods at you, as if to say Go! Looking toward the front of the ship, you can see through an open door that there is a small mattress and blankets pushed up against the frame of the ship, burning. The smoke has filled up the small room and is flowing out through the window in big black bursts of smoke. As you leap down once again into the steerage area, you see the goblin boss run across the room with another blanket, attempting to smother the flames.
When you reach the lowest deck, it's tough to see. Only a small light shines through one of the windows - the one "Crooked Jaw" left open - but it is enough to at least get your bearings. There are extremely small cells lining each of the walls. Three of them are occupied by humans. All younger males with stubble and slightly dirty clothes. It doesn't look like they've been there for terribly long, but they stir as you land onto the floor. They back up against their cells, waiting for the worst. Across the deck, you see the genasi girl. Chained heavily and tightly, she has almost no mobility in her arms or legs. Her eyes slowly open as you approach. Your dash gets you here but you'll have to act on your next turn. Didn't need to use Action Surge to get there.
Burik slams his weapon into the nearest goblin, knocking him back as he hears the crunch of bones. The goblin lets out a pained groan as he retaliates (readied action) against Burik.
Attack: 24 Damage: 9
Both of the goblins left manning ballistas are panicked by Effort's presence, but they steel themselves and turn the ballistas around, aiming carefully at the tiefling (using their action to aim).
With Brask and Effort both gone from the main deck, the two goblins remaining there swing down at Burik. "Die, little dwarf!"
Attack: 7 Damage: 4
Attack: 9 Damage: 4
Effort, you're up, and you can use Cadmael's advantage from last round. Everyone also still has inspiration and (I think) a d4 from eating and foraging before getting on the ship, should you need it during this fight.
Sure. You can try to physically break the manacles open, or you can try to smash them apart with your weapon. There are two sets - one on her hands and one on her feet.
She perks up a bit, opening her mouth to try and say something, but she just hoarsely coughs. She then nods, and as you grab onto the manacles to try and pull them apart, you feel an energy within her pulsing outward - into you and into the metal.
Brask lets out a guttural roar as he feels his bicep muscles burning. Just when he thinks he won't be able to pull anymore, the tension releases as the shackles break apart in his hands. The genasi girl collapses over into his arms.
She will act on initiative 3 in round 2. Her feet are still shackled.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(I'm not clear on how many goblins are manning each ballista. Effort's going to focus this round's attack on the goblin (s?) nearest to her. If there's more than one target near her within 10 feet, she would use her poison spray scroll instead of the shocking grasp, which has a CON DC of 13.)
Effort, seeing the ballista goblin nearest to her as the greatest danger, will hex him and give him a strength disadvantage, and then hand him a shocking grasp.
Attack: 23 Damage: 2 lightning + 1 necrotic
Her bonus action would be to move in such a way that the other ballista across the way, if manned, will still have to shoot at its own people to actually get to her.
Oh a crit! Thank god because that 1, geez! 5 additional damage-
Sorry, I should have made a little map. There are three ballistas on the front stern (the one you're on), TWO of which have goblins manning them. There are two ballistas on the rear stern, ONE of which had a goblin manning it. You killed that one. So there are two goblins within 10-15 feet of you, each manning a ballista. It looks like poison spray only affects one creature, though. I assume you want to stick with the crit? If you do, let me know what your movement is afterward. There will be one goblin remaining and it's ballista will be pointed at you.
The lightning shooting from Effort's hand twists around the goblin as he convulses. It wraps his body for a moment before he falls to the deck of the ship, white tendrils of smoke crawling out of his ears and nose.
Burik, as you watch Effort dispatch another of the goblins, you hear the heavy sound of wood-on-wood. Across the deck, you see that one of the doors has been swung open, and standing in the doorway is the orc captain, Umog. She furrows her brow angrily at you.
At the same time, you see another goblin appear on the opposite railing of the ship. The archer, from the other trail boat. He trains his shortbow on you.
Brask, you're up. Then Burik.
Spoilers are just something I'm keeping track of below deck. :)
From somewhere within, the goblin whispers back to you. "I left the window open, so I am sure they will hear once the commotion begins. If you can get down there quickly and release the genasi girl, I know she can help you. I..." He pauses for a moment. "I have an idea. Come up onto the deck. It should only take me a moment."
The goblin from your trail boat motions for you to come up the chain. "Be careful. We can't stop to pick you out of the water."
You all slowly make your way up. Brask teeters a bit, but the chain is thick enough that he's able to keep a firm grasp and get to the top. When you reach the railing, you hop up and over onto the main deck. The goblin boss is there with two others, including the one from your trail boat. At the front of the ship, two goblins man ballistas up on the forecastle. One goblin sits on the stern castle at a ballista. The big cargo doors lay right behind the goblin trio, and there are other doors to either side leading under the stern and forecastles. One of which was the captain's quarters that Umog emerged from when you first boarded.
"Okay, hand over your weapons and we'll take them downstairs until we get to Gorta." The boss begins. He motions to the other two goblins to come get your weapons, but as they take their first step, one of the goblins on the forecastle calls out in a panic.
"F-FIRE!" He points downward, as black smoke starts to billow up and over the front of the ship.
"What the-" The boss turns quickly to you to make sure you're not moving, and then heads toward the cargo doors to head below. "Hey! Watch these three!" He calls out to the goblins manning the ballistas. "You," he points to the goblin that had been on the trail boat. "Go get Umog - NOW." He leaps down into the deck below and vanishes.
If you are going to make a move, go ahead and roll initiative. No surprise round. They're on alert. If you want to wait, that's fine too.
DM - Above & Below
Brask isn't waiting. He wants to get below to free the water genasi, and see what she can do. Not taking any clearly aggressive action, but unless Effort says otherwise, he will try to follow the goblin boss down below deck to where he believes the prisoner can be found.
Initiative: 13
The one goblin starts to move toward the captain's quarters...
Ballista goblins (two at the front, one in the back): 13
Deck goblins (two standing on deck with you): 11
DM - Above & Below
Initiative + Guidance: 5 + 4
Cadmael Initiative: 6
(want to see Cadmael's initiative before I make my action)
Effort immediately casts Misty Step to get near to a ballista goblin; figuring that she might be able to disable a ballista, and if one wants to make her a ballista target, he'll have a good chance of hitting his friend. Rather than targeting the goblin nearest to her, however, she aims an eldritch blast at his fellow ballista-manning friend across the ship.
Attack: 17
Damage: 7
Effort will position herself so that she is behind the actual ballista of the goblin closest to her, placing the weapon between herself and the other ballista on the ship.
Cadmael will try to help the next ally who makes a melee attack against a goblin, granting them advantage.
Imitative: 12
Taking a swing at the Goblin going for Umog if he can, otherwise at the other one in front of him. 19 : 5
While at the same time summoning a spiritual weapon in front of the Goblin at the stern ballista. 8 : 9
No surprise round, but I'll say Effort's misty step was the first move and got everything started.
As the tiefling vanishes in a puff of silvery mist, the goblins realize something is up. The goblin in front of Burik and Brask swings his scimitar at the minotaur. Attack: 21 Damage: 6
The second goblin continues running toward the captain's door, using his full movement (still has 10-15 feet to go) and readying an action if anyone chases after him.
Effort's blast is aimed so well it cruises between two ballistas, hitting one of the goblins square in the chest and sending him sailing over the side of the ship.
Brask, the cargo door is less than 30 feet away, so you can hop down into it right now, or attack first (with advantage thanks to Cadmael). Burik, I'll keep your attack action unless you want to change it.
Rd 1:
Deck goblins > Effort> Brask > Burik > Cadmael > Ballista goblins [Spoilers below are just for me to keep track of things going on where you can't see them]UI: 14
GB: 12
G: 15
CJ: 17
DM - Above & Below
Brask is going to do everything he can to reach where he believes the water genasi is being held. That includes using his movement to run to the cargo hatch to open it, and depending on what he sees when it's open, using his action and possibly action surge to dash to her.
As Brask rushes toward the cargo door, both goblins slash at him with their scimitars:
Attack: 19 Damage: 6
Attack: 21 Damage: 7
Brask bypasses the small ladder that leads down and leaps through the opening of the deck. He lands with a thud on the cargo deck.
Brask:
To your left and the back of the ship, you hear pounding on a door. The friendly goblin stands, feet firmly planted and back up against a wooden crate that is propped up against a wooden door. He nods at you, as if to say Go! Looking toward the front of the ship, you can see through an open door that there is a small mattress and blankets pushed up against the frame of the ship, burning. The smoke has filled up the small room and is flowing out through the window in big black bursts of smoke. As you leap down once again into the steerage area, you see the goblin boss run across the room with another blanket, attempting to smother the flames.
When you reach the lowest deck, it's tough to see. Only a small light shines through one of the windows - the one "Crooked Jaw" left open - but it is enough to at least get your bearings. There are extremely small cells lining each of the walls. Three of them are occupied by humans. All younger males with stubble and slightly dirty clothes. It doesn't look like they've been there for terribly long, but they stir as you land onto the floor. They back up against their cells, waiting for the worst. Across the deck, you see the genasi girl. Chained heavily and tightly, she has almost no mobility in her arms or legs. Her eyes slowly open as you approach. Your dash gets you here but you'll have to act on your next turn. Didn't need to use Action Surge to get there.
Burik slams his weapon into the nearest goblin, knocking him back as he hears the crunch of bones. The goblin lets out a pained groan as he retaliates (readied action) against Burik.
Attack: 24 Damage: 9
Both of the goblins left manning ballistas are panicked by Effort's presence, but they steel themselves and turn the ballistas around, aiming carefully at the tiefling (using their action to aim).
Round 2: Deck goblins > Effort > Brask > Burik > Cadmael > Ballista goblins
With Brask and Effort both gone from the main deck, the two goblins remaining there swing down at Burik. "Die, little dwarf!"
Attack: 7 Damage: 4
Attack: 9 Damage: 4
Effort, you're up, and you can use Cadmael's advantage from last round. Everyone also still has inspiration and (I think) a d4 from eating and foraging before getting on the ship, should you need it during this fight.
DM - Above & Below
(Can Brask use his action surge to dash, plus his movement, to reach the girl, but then still have his main action to use?)
Sure. You can try to physically break the manacles open, or you can try to smash them apart with your weapon. There are two sets - one on her hands and one on her feet.
DM - Above & Below
Great, thanks. So Brask runs up to the girl, says I'm trying to set you free, so don't panic! He grabs the manacles and tries to break them.
She perks up a bit, opening her mouth to try and say something, but she just hoarsely coughs. She then nods, and as you grab onto the manacles to try and pull them apart, you feel an energy within her pulsing outward - into you and into the metal.
Roll a strength check with advantage.
DM - Above & Below
Strength: 21
Brask lets out a guttural roar as he feels his bicep muscles burning. Just when he thinks he won't be able to pull anymore, the tension releases as the shackles break apart in his hands. The genasi girl collapses over into his arms.
She will act on initiative 3 in round 2. Her feet are still shackled.
Effort is up with advantage.
DM - Above & Below
(I'm not clear on how many goblins are manning each ballista. Effort's going to focus this round's attack on the goblin (s?) nearest to her. If there's more than one target near her within 10 feet, she would use her poison spray scroll instead of the shocking grasp, which has a CON DC of 13.)
Effort, seeing the ballista goblin nearest to her as the greatest danger, will hex him and give him a strength disadvantage, and then hand him a shocking grasp.
Attack: 23
Damage: 2 lightning + 1 necrotic
Her bonus action would be to move in such a way that the other ballista across the way, if manned, will still have to shoot at its own people to actually get to her.
Oh a crit! Thank god because that 1, geez! 5 additional damage-
and 6 additional necrotic too, I think?
Sorry, I should have made a little map. There are three ballistas on the front stern (the one you're on), TWO of which have goblins manning them. There are two ballistas on the rear stern, ONE of which had a goblin manning it. You killed that one. So there are two goblins within 10-15 feet of you, each manning a ballista. It looks like poison spray only affects one creature, though. I assume you want to stick with the crit? If you do, let me know what your movement is afterward. There will be one goblin remaining and it's ballista will be pointed at you.
DM - Above & Below
(Oh yeah, sorry, I thought poison spray was an AOO. In that case, yea, we're sticking with shocking grasp!)
The lightning shooting from Effort's hand twists around the goblin as he convulses. It wraps his body for a moment before he falls to the deck of the ship, white tendrils of smoke crawling out of his ears and nose.
Burik, as you watch Effort dispatch another of the goblins, you hear the heavy sound of wood-on-wood. Across the deck, you see that one of the doors has been swung open, and standing in the doorway is the orc captain, Umog. She furrows her brow angrily at you.
At the same time, you see another goblin appear on the opposite railing of the ship. The archer, from the other trail boat. He trains his shortbow on you.
Brask, you're up. Then Burik.
Spoilers are just something I'm keeping track of below deck. :)
Attack: 20 Damage: 3
Attack: 21 Damage: 7
DM - Above & Below
Brask uses a bonus action for Second Wind, to recover 5 HP.
Then he tries to break the water genasi girl's leg shackles: Strength (with advantage) - 23
If you can do anything to help us, do it, and hurry. Friendly gobbo said you could help, so do it.